Lambeth College keep up the fight by rejecting bosses' offer

Workers at LambethCollege have overwhelmingly thrown out the latest offers by bosses in an ongoing dispute over new contracts.

UCU union members voted to reject the offers by 92 percent on a 54 percent turnout. The strength of the result shows that workers are prepared to keep fighting to defend their terms and conditions.

Mandy Brown is branch secretary of Lambeth College UCU. She told Socialist Worker, “Lambeth College UCU have shown yet again that we are not going to take attacks lying down.

“Employers are paving the way for privatisation and a situation where all workers will end up on zero hours contracts.”

College principal Mark Silverman wants to impose new contracts on workers that would increase teaching hours, cut holidays and slash sick pay.

UCU members struck for over five weeks against the attack last term.

The dispute began in March. UCU members have had to vote five times on whether to continue the fight – each time has delivered a resounding yes.

But as Mandy pointed out, “We can’t sustain this fight on our own. We need a national response and we need it soon.”

The national UCU must throw all its resources behind LambethCollege workers. If bosses get away with their attack, those elsewhere will look to go on the offensive too.

Lambeth College UCU members met last week and reaffirmed their decision to ballot for strikes to get the contracts withdrawn. A ballot is set to take place over the next few weeks and workers hope to begin strikes in December if Silverman does not back down.